Study to estimate repairs at Kansas depot

Commissioners unanimously
agreed to spend about $25,000 to study what repairs are needed at the BNSF
Depot at Seventh and New Jersey streets, the Lawrence, Kan., Journal-World
reports. Commissioners agreed to hire Lawrence-based Hernly Associates to
conduct the assessment.

The commission agreed to
spend the money even though the city does not yet own the building. But
commissioners said efforts to negotiate a low cost purchase of the building
from the railroad were going well. The city hopes to take ownership of the
building by the end of the year.

City staff members want to
do the assessment now because they hope to apply for state grants to fund many
repairs at the historic depot. The deadlines for those grants are near the end
of the year.